It is Uganda’s second largest and most popular game park and certainly one of most scenic covering an area of 1978-sq-km, altitude 900m on Lake Edward to 1845m a.s.l at the top of eastern Escarpment of the western rift. Queen is one of the few reserves in the world can boast such high biodiversity rating, with landscape varying from savannah, bush land and wetlands lush forests, the park inhabited by 96 species of mammals. In the south a remote Ishasha sector, is famous for the tree climbing lions and also bird life. It’s one of the few places in Africa where lions are known to hang out in trees. Often found lazing on the sprawling limbs of fig trees during the heat of the day. Habitat here covers Medium altitude moist semi-deciduous forest, moist thicket, riverine bush-land, open woodland, open grassland, seasonal and permanent swamps lakes and rivers

ACTIVITIES

Kazinga Channel Launch Trip

Almost every visitor takes a launch trip up the Kazinga channel to see the thousands of Hippos and pink backed Pelicans, plus plenty of Crocodiles, Buffaloes, herds of Elephants drinking water along the channels bank and Fish Eagles. Occasionally Lions and Leopard are also seen by the channel.

Wild Drives

Most of the wild-viewing traffic is in the northeast of the park in Kasenyi, which offers the best chances to Lions, Herds of Elephants, Waterbuck, Savannah Buffaloes, Uganda Kob, Warthogs, Leopard and Bushbuck. It’s also one the most scenic sections of any park in Uganda, particularly in the morning when its savannah landscape shines golden and is dotted with cactus-like candelabra trees.

Bird Watching

The Queen Elizabeth Bird Observatory was established in 1997 with the aim of studying resident and migratory bird populations in the national park, increasing local awareness through education and guide training programs and further developing avitourism through the construction of hides, walkways and birding trails.

Chimpanzee Tracking

The 100m deep Kyambura Gorge. Has chimpanzee tracking twice a day at 8:00 am and 2:00 pm with walks lasting for two to four hours. You have got semi-reasonable chance of finding the habituated community but mornings are probably the best bet. The Gorge is a beautiful scar of green cutting through the savannah, and from the Viewing platform you can sometimes see primates, including chimps, frolicking in the treetop below.

Salt Mine Tours

The interesting Village of Katwe on the north shore of

Lake Edward, 4km west of the main gate (kabatoro gate), is famous for its salt industry. Salt mining on the Crater Lake behind the village goes back to at least the 15th century, and toady some 3000people still use the same traditional methods. Women pull salt from evaporation ponds when its dry enough (Generally December to March and July to September) while men dig rock salt round-year.

Equator

The Equator crosses in the northern sector of the park near kasenyi and is marked with a circular monument, which is predictably popular with passersby’s stopping for that quintessential cheesy holiday meal.